Provincial Police out on roadways and waterways

Ontario Provincial Police marine unit (OPP_CR/Twitter)

A Canada Day Week Traffic Campaign is underway in Windsor-Essex.

Members of Essex County Provincial Police and the OPP Marine Unit are teaming up to enforce “The Big Four”, which includes distracted driving, impaired driving, speeding and lack of seatbelt use on local roadways and waterways.

Last year, officers handed out over 7,800 tickets for those infractions across Ontario.

OPP Community Engagement Officer Stephanie Caron told AM800’s The Shift, officers will be out on patrol looking for infractions by land and sea. “We’ve got the impaired driving operation of every vessel and we’ve also got the difference there with the seatbelts on the vessel is the lack of PFD or personal water-safety devices so we’re seeing that on the water as well.”

Caron adds that traffic safety is everyone’s responsibility. “If you do see something, if it’s an urgent nature, please call 911 immediately. If it’s something of a non-emergent nature and you just pass by something and it’s giving you some concern of course we have our non-emergent number 1-[phone].”

With an expected increase traffic flow, the OPP is asking the public to be patient, drive sober, and drive safely to and from your destinations.